MINUTES OF MEETING NO. 30

2March 2016,Town Hall, Luton

Members
Pauline Hey - Chair / Rosalyn Whisker
Brian Golby / Tony Welch
Clive Beckett / Tom Chevalier
Cllr Tony Brown / Mario Costa-Sa
Andy Knight / Louis Upton
Jane Conway
Cllr Paul Castleman
Secretariat
Sarah Smalley - Central Bedfordshire Council
Apologies
Andrew Pym / Steve Bumstead
Observers
David Leverington – Central Bedfordshire Council
Keith Dove – Luton Borough Council
John Mardle – Great Bramingham Park
ACTION
1 / Public Questions
John Mardle presented to the forum a plan of the area surrounding Great Bramingham Park. He highlighted gaps between paths in the Rights of Way Network which he was hoping the forum could help to address and also advised that the Theed Way is not shown on the Definitive Map. KD advised, according to Luton’s records, that runs along the north edge of Luton.
KD confirmed that a key action of Luton Borough Councils Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) is to join gaps, but also advised that some gaps may be highways listed on the list of streets. He would need to look into this particular area to clarify what would be required to link the paths.
TC shared the plan that had been developed relating to the Luton North development and showed where the forum were hoping Rights of Way would appear and where links would be.
2 / Apologies
See above
3 / Minutes of Previous Meeting
A – The minutes were approved as a true record of the meeting with a few small typo’s highlighted.
B- No matters arising
4 / JLAF Policy on Nuisance Motorcycles
MCS is writing a policy that he hopes the JLAF will endorse to help provide longer term solutions to the problem. He is using the same framework onSituationalCrime Preventionused in a major report on flytipping.
One idea proposed by TC is to allow use of an area for riders to ride legally as part of the issue is that riders don’t know where to go. Care will be needed in the selection of the site to avoid SSSI concerns.
User groups, in particular the Trail Riders Fellowship ( are currently proposing solutions to the issue. Formerbarrister,Andrew Dalton of White Dalton Solicitors in Aylesbury, is an officer of the TRF who is also working with the police leading Operation Meteor to come up with solutions.
It is clear that there is lack of clarity over what is acceptable and legal on a motorcycle or quad in a public place and examples were cited.
RW advised that there is now signage on Green Lanes which should help riders and the general public define legal and illegal use. MCS explained that he felt that a few in sensitive areas, were inaccurate as well as strongly agreeing that it is a big step in the right direction. / MCS
5 / Land north of Luton – Subgroup feedback
Following the sub group meeting, TC and LU put together a document which is considered to be the Local Access Vision and will be shared with developers when they are planning sites in the area as a view of what the JLAF want. It was circulated to JLAF members prior to the meeting for comments, none were received.
JC asked whether the document referred to Green Infrastructure documents that had been prepared It does not so JC will provide a link to TC and LU to update. PH requested that anyone else who knew of any other relevant documents that should be referenced to advise TC & LU.
RW advised she is happy with document, although had a desire for 1 further BW and a member of the public also expressed a wish for BOAT’s to be joined up as very often motorised vehicle users have to ride up a path, only to turn around and come back which can cause nuisance to locals and other users of the path. CB confirmed that the aspiration is for 3 of the routes shown to be multi user.
All happy with document, with the minor changes discussed, TC & LU to update report.
Cllr TB advised the document should be sent to CBC planning department as soon as possible and Cllr PC also requested the document is sent to him as LBC are doing a Green Belt Study and the information could be useful. / JC
TC & LU
6 / CBC CAS restructure update
DL reminded all that Central Bedfordshire’s Countryside Access Service was split into Rights of Way (ROW) team and Sites team in July 2015. Rights of Way was moved into Highways for a 12 month trial period. The teams have discussed formalising this agreement and the ROW team confirmed they feel that Highways is the right place for them to be and as such will agree to make this permanent.
TC raised concern about the importance of ensuring that the good work with volunteers carried out by the CAS team is continued post the split. DL assured all that the good connections we have with volunteer groups will continue, and advised that a new Chiltern Society volunteer group has been set up in the Chilterns area which the team are working with.
7 / Budgets update – CBC & LBC
KD advised they are working to a 5 year rolling programme of improvements to the network. The programme has been agreed in a full council budget meeting. There is a £1.5mill integrated transport funded budget of which ROW are a part of.
A key issue for the team is progressing the Definitive Map, there is a team member keen to work on this and requests for training have been made.
DL asked whether a response had been received from Marcel Coffait following the JLAF’s letter in December regarding funding cuts, JLAF secretary and PH confirmed neither had received a response.
DL explained that CBC ROW team have had £12K cut in revenue budget and £60K cut in capital. This leaves £100K for maintenance work and £150K for major bridges, surfaces etc. He is currently working with team to ascertain priorities. DL also confirmed that the team’s use of capital includes working to improve ‘Access for all’ e.g. installing disabled user friendly gates, amongst other things
CB advised that one advantage of ROW being in the Highways department is access to road materials and DL confirmed one offer had already been made. The team had to be ready to act quickly in such situations
8 / CBC Definitive Map caseload
DL circulated a report produced by Adam Maciejewski (CBC Senior Definitive Map Officer).
He explained that the ROW team is currently doing some support work for Bedford BC and Cambs CC. Cllr PC asked if CBC had considered working as a shared service with Bedford or Luton, DL confirmed it had been suggested previously but not yet considered. Cllr PC will raise this at his next portfolio meeting.
Adam is working on the excluded area of Biggleswade and will be shortly producing a serious of orders, following this he will work on the Dunstable excluded area, most likely towards the end of 2016, into 2017.
There is a backlog of 16 Definitive Map cases, some are a few years old. Adam has created a prioritisation system and is now starting to process the cases that are high priority.
Recent cases dealt with are Crown Hotel in Biggleswade and the Maulden FP case where DL confirmed judicial review had been turned down. An order is currently being made to create a footpath in the Weatherspoons pub case.
The Public Path Order backlog is currently 4.
The anomalies list has been reduced from 400 to 338 and work is being planned to work on mapping urban alleyways in preparation for 2026 with work to be carried out on the list of streets.
DL confirmed the list of streets is available to view at Priory House and there is also a spreadsheet available. All members expressed an interest in seeing this, JLAF secretary to circulate. / Cllr PC
DL/JLAF secretary
9 / Secrets of the Sands
The ‘Secrets of the Sands’ is the landscape partnership for the Greensand Ridge which is being established with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. DL advised there are a number of strands to the project based around making the area more well known and used both locally and further afield.
The old CAS team had planned to work on a few key projects, although this involvement has been slimmed down following the restructure discussed earlier. DL is leading ‘Destination Plus’, making use of S106 money in development and growth areas around the ridge in Leighton Buzzard, The Aspleys and Sandy to provide signage including distance and destination sign posts, information boards and surface improvements. He has presented to Heritage Lottery Fund project plans with the project due to start early 2017.
10 / Luton ROWIP Review
KD advised the ROWIP went to the Scrutiny board 13 Jan 2016 and they fed back that they thought the report was very comprehensive. The team are currently doing presentations at area board meetings outlining key actions, how the team plan to deal with the Definitive Map issues and encouraging response to the consultation.
LU asked whether the JLAF should make a response and expressed concern with the vision of the document. He doesn’t agree with the opening statement and also felt the document did not give clear timescales for delivery of actions.
It was agreed that LU would come up with a response to the consultation as a matter of urgency so that this can be submitted before the end of the consultation period which is 18 March 2016.
KD confirmed that the latest version of the document is available to view on the Luton BC website, but he would also circulate a copy to members. / LU
KD
11 / Any other notified business
TC thanked Cllr Brown and Cllr Castleman for their presence at the meeting.
PH reminded all that mileage claims should be submitted asap. JLAF secretary to send claim form to all. / JLAF Secretary
12 / Dates of future meetings
Wednesday 8 June. Marston Forest Centre, Priory House or Rushmere Park proposed. JLAF secretary to confirm / JLAF Secretary

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